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Wiltshire YFC held their annual County Rally by kind permission of the Candy Family, Leaze Farm. As we don’t have a County Agricultural Show in Wiltshire, the YFC Rally is the nearest similar event and is becoming bigger each year. 

Around the main ring are stands of all sizes from local machinery dealers, Rare Breeds Trust, each individual Wiltshire YFC Club, various vets and consultants, as well as Wiltshire NFU. YFC members competed in a variety of competitions on the theme of ‘Country & Western’ throughout the day, providing entertainment for the large crowd of onlookers and supporters. 

County Vice-Chair Mike Wilkins judged the baking and ‘make a cocktail’ competitions, whilst County Chair Tom Collins and County Adviser Katie Davies judged the ‘dress the leader in anything but clothes’ competition.
 

A huge congratulations to Devizes YFC for winning the overall Spillers Shield and defending their Rally Winners title for the second year running. 

Recently two seminars focusing on IHT were held in Wiltshire. 

Firstly Devizes, Clane & Pewsey Branch, jointly with Newbury Branch, held a seminar at Ramsbury Brewery & Distillery over breakfast rolls, tea and coffee. 

Members heard from legal panel firms Clarke Willmott and Thrings both covered what could go wrong, as well as ways that they could plan for succession. They also heard from their local NFU Mutual Financial Adviser Dan Dempsey, about the mitigations available to them.

Next was an IHT Seminar at The Mill at Rode, for Warminster and Stratton on the Fosse members. Philip Whitcomb from legal panel firm Clarke Willmott, George Rudge NFU Mutual Financial Adviser and NFU County Adviser Katie Davies, presented to a room of 85+ members on the impact of IHT, mitigations available to them, as well as the work undertaken by the NFU on their behalf. 

Following the seminar members enjoyed a lunch and opportunity to talk with the presenters and fellow farmers.

Both events also gave an opportunity for members to put questions to the presenters or speak to them in private afterwards.

If you were unable to attend either seminar but require advice, please don’t hesitate to contact CallFirst or your local group office and Group Secretary.

At the beginning of June NFU Vice-president Rachel Hallos visited Wiltshire for a whistle-stop tour of our wonderful county. 

We started with a member meeting at Bright Seeds, after which Managing Director Chris Bright gave Rachel a tour and history of the business, including viewing their wildflower processing facilities, new seed cleaners and purpose made drying floor, along with their chiller and packing plant for their new hedging plant venture, and demonstration sites. 
 

Next Rachel travelled the length of the county, across Salisbury Plain, to Kington Langley for a joint branch event between Chippenham, Malmesbury & Sherston, Swindon, Tetbury & South Cots Branches for their annual farm walk and hog roast, this year by kind permission of the Sealy family. 

Members had a tour of the 500-acre dairy farm (via tractor and trailer), hearing about the families set up, as well as their diversification journey into property and renewables, along with the families future aspirations for the farm and the WhiteAvon Consultancy business. 

Following the tour, members enjoyed a hog roast and opportunity to socialise, before hearing from Rachel about her NFU journey so far and answering members questions. During the evening a raffle was held, raising over £470 in aid of RABI. A huge thank you to the Sealy family for hosting, WhiteAvon Consultancy for their sponsorship and members for donating so generously. 
 

The following morning, after a diversion through the beautiful Castle Coombe and member meetings, Rachel left Wiltshire, having enjoyed her time meeting members from across the county. 

In Wiltshire, we have two National Landscape designations, the and the . 

Both National Landscape organisations administer a Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Programme, which has been renewed until 2026, with f about funding for farming in protected landscapes. 

The programme will fund projects on farms that; support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage, and protect or improve the quality and character of the landscape or place. 

Applications for over £10,000 are judged by a local assessment panel. 

Further details and guidance on how to apply to the FiPL programme for our National Landscapes in Wiltshire: